Navy helped provide security to MV Suez: Centre

June 17, 2011 22:08 IST

The Centre on Friday said that the Indian Navy had 'coordinated' with other navies operating in the piracy-affected region to provide security cover to MV Suez, the Egyptian merchant vessel with six Indian nationals, which was released by Somali pirates four days ago.

"The Navy coordinated with other navies in the region so that security cover could be provided to MV Suez, the ship which was released by pirates recently and which has crew comprising, among others, Indian and Pakistani nationals," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vishnu Prakash said.

He said that one of the naval warships INS Godavari had "also closed on MV Suez and monitored her progress" towards the Salalah port in Oman.

The ship is presently being escorted towards Oman by warships of the Coalition Task Force including Pakistani ship PNS Babar.

The Navy had deployed INS Godavari to escort MV Suez to Salalah but after the merchant vessel, under a Pakistani captain, refused to respond to the communication calls by the warship, the Indian Navy pulled it out of the escort duties.

The warship is now escorting two other merchant vessels with 21 Indians in the Gulf of Aden.

The Navy is continuously assessing the situation and monitoring all developments, he said.

MV Suez, with 22 crew members, including six Indian nationals, was released three days ago by the Somali pirates after 10 months in captivity.